Stoneyholme Nursery School

About Stoneyholme Nursery School

Parents considering Stoneyholme Nursery School will find a setting that has clearly earned the trust of local families. The school is oversubscribed, with 67 children on roll, which in a nursery setting signals strong word-of-mouth recommendation. While the data does not include a specific parentView percentage, the combination of a full roll and an Outstanding Ofsted rating suggests a high level of parental satisfaction. The school’s headteacher, Tara Entwistle, leads a team that has maintained this top grade across inspections, with the most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirming the school remains Outstanding. For a nursery serving children aged 2 to 5, this consistency is a strong indicator of a well-run environment where staff and families work closely together. The school is one of only eight Outstanding nurseries out of 24 in Lancashire, placing it in the top third of its local authority for quality.

Academically, Stoneyholme Nursery School focuses on the Early Years Foundation Stage, and its Ofsted outcomes speak directly to the quality of early learning. In its most recent graded inspection in 2017, the school received Outstanding for both overall effectiveness and leadership and management, a significant improvement from its previous Good rating in 2013. The 2023 ungraded inspection confirmed the school remains Outstanding, meaning the high standards have been sustained. While the data does not include specific Progress 8 or SATs scores — which are not applicable to nursery-age children — the Ofsted report highlights strong early years provision. The school’s SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs indicate targeted support for children who require it. Compared with the Lancashire average, where only a third of nurseries achieve Outstanding, Stoneyholme’s sustained top rating places it well above the local norm for early years education.

In practical terms, Stoneyholme Nursery School offers a range of facilities that support its early years curriculum, including art studios, music rooms, an outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports provision includes gymnastics, dance and swimming, and there is an art club for extracurricular enrichment. The school’s SEND focus on moderate learning difficulties and speech and language needs suggests it is well-equipped to support children with these challenges, making it a strong choice for families whose children may benefit from early intervention. As a state nursery, it is free at the point of use for eligible families, and its oversubscribed status means early application is advisable. Located in Burnley, it is the nearest Outstanding nursery to Ightenhill Nursery School, 1.8 km away, so families in the area have a high-quality local option. This school suits parents who prioritise a proven, Ofsted-validated early years setting with strong leadership and a clear commitment to inclusive support from the start.

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